SESSION 3 PRAYER
PRAYER SESSION 3
SESSION 3
PRAYER
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INTRODUCTION
Praise
” Rejoice always, pray constantly, will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thes 5:16
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give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians tells us to “pray constantly”. This does not mean we need to keep saying one Our Father after another, but to be in continuous communion with God, regardless of what we might be doing or where we may be. Getting to this state, however, takes some doing and these four elements help immensely in achieving that.
1. Personal Prayer To make progress of any noticeable merit on this journey towards becoming more like Christ, we need to have a healthy relationship with God, and this can be achieved only by spending time in prayer. Traditional community prayers that many of us are accustomed to are excellent ways of praying, but in order to build a truly meaningful relationship with God, a prime requisite is personal prayer. When the apostles asked Jesus for advice on the subject of prayer, He said to them: ”Mt 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” What do we do when we are alone, though? While the following verse (Matthew 6:7) suggests we simply shut up and listen to God, it takes time to develop the level of spirituality that allows us to remain in silence before God. Until then, it might help to use the time–optimally, an hour–to improve our relationship with him using certain important elements of prayer. These are: Praise Spiritual Warfare Thanksgiving Repentance Forgiveness Surrender Infilling Worship Intercession The Word of God Silence
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Begin your prayer session by singing joyful songs to the Lord. There is, of course, the obvious reason for this as expressed by the Psalmist: “Ps 100:1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands!” But there is another reason. Many of us enter prayer burdened with the cares and burdens of the world. Our focus is very much on ourselves. When we open our mouths and sing (even though we might not feel like it!) we take our attention off ourselves (and our problems) and focus it on God. This gets us into the “mood” of prayer, like nothing else can.
Spiritual Warfare Scripture tells us that “Eph 6:12 we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Many of us might find the idea of battles fought in heavenly places hard to comprehend, but it is a good idea to begin serious prayer by asking God for his protection upon us and our families through the blood of Jesus (Exodus 12:22), because all prayer involves warfare to varying extents and some defensive measures are wise.
Thanksgiving As we have already seen, Paul advises us to “1 Thes 5:18 give thanks to God in all circumstances”. Somebody once said that if the only prayer we say is a prayer of thanksgiving, it would be prayer enough. We should never fail to thank God for the many blessings that we receive. Thanking God also helps to take away our focus on the things in the life that aren’t too pleasing to us and focus on all the good things that we are blessed with. We also need to thank him for the not-so-good things that happen because it is a sign of faith in his word that says he “Rom 8:28 works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” Most importantly we need to thank Jesus for the price he paid to save us from sin and death and reconciling us to himself. Thanking him for this repeatedly will ensure that we don’t take his sacrifice for granted.
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Repentance Repentance is an integral part of prayer. Not only does it give us the opportunity to reconcile ourselves properly to God, it helps us identify aspects of our lives that we need to address because our goal is to reach the perfection, purity and holiness that God calls us to. “Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
Forgiveness We can never really be fully right with God, even if we have repented, if we haven’t forgiven those who have wronged us. “Mt 6:14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Forgiveness is not a one-off thing that we do from time to time, but a continuous process that needs to be done often, because we are hurt often.
Surrender Everything in our life will be a constant struggle if we try to cope with our battles ourselves. We cannot truly be instruments of God either, if we are trying to exercise our own will in our lives. Neither can we be filled with His Holy Spirit and bear fruit if we are not in perfect union with Christ. “Jn 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Along with repentance and forgiveness, surrender helps us be one with Jesus.
Infilling Shortly before Jesus died he said to his apostles: “Jn 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ” Later, just before He ascended into heaven, He promised His apostles: Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in
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Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” We have all received the Holy Spirit when we were baptized, but we need a fresh infilling regularly. During this time we stoke the fires of love.
Worship “Jn 4:23 “True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth”. Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Veritatis Splendor wrote that, “VS87 worship of God and a relationship with truth are revealed in Jesus Christ as the deepest foundation of freedom”. Through our worship we give honor and praise to God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Additionally, we are drawn into the mystery of God and into a deeper relationship with Him. This is the time that can bring us the most intense joy, because it helps us enter into the heart of God like little else can.
Intercession In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul urges the community to “Eph 6:18 pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” We need to pray for each other continually that all of us might pursue on the path of holiness that we are all called to travel upon.
The Word of God God speaks to us through His Word and it is absolutely essential that we read the Bible and meditate upon it regularly for a number of reasons, including increasing our faith. Scripture tells us that “Rom 10:17 faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ.” The Word is also transformational. “Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” There are several more reasons, and we will look at them in greater depth in our next session on Study.
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Silence God speaks to us in our silences, and it is wise to make silence part of our prayer time with God, especially after reading his Word. As we grow in our relationship with God, the silence in our prayer time should increase and we will take a closer look at contemplative and meditative prayer in a subsequent module of the School of Discipleship.
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Fix a convenient time and place for prayer and do not let anything come in the way of it. Prayer is a great way to start the day so pray in the mornings. Spend a few minutes at the end of the day in prayer as well, thanking God for all the many blessings you received during the day. Always invite the Holy Spirit at the beginning of your prayer time to help you pray. Have your prayer partner (you will get one soon!) remind/urge you to pray if you have difficulty making it to the prayer room on your own.
2. Family Prayer “The family that prays together stays together” is a maxim that many of us grew up with and it is true. One of the reasons that families are breaking up with such rapidity today is because God is missing from the equation. No relationship can be truly meaningful without God playing a pivotal role in it and to ensure this, families need to approach him together as one unit. It is something that Jesus himself endorsed when he said “Mt 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” It would be immensely pleasing to him to see the family unit that he ordained gather together to worship him. Given the busy schedules most people have these days it is not always possible for all members of a family to be together at the same time except, perhaps for meals, so it is a good
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A Few Tips •
A Few Tips • • •
idea to spend some time in prayer before you commence the meal. When even this is not possible, family members can pray together whenever they happen to be with each other, even if every member is not present.
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Avoid long, monotonous prayers if they are said by rote. The Rosary is a lovely prayer but it is often rendered meaningless if it is raced through. As somebody holy once said, a single “Hail Mary” said slowly with meaning is more effective than a hundred said without meaning. Keeping it short and simple in the beginning might encourage members of the family who do not pray to join in. Find occasions to pray with members of the family through the day, even when all members are not together like the start of a journey, or the beginning of an activity or at the start and end of meals.
We can spend a lot of time in prayer in a variety of ways, including saying the Rosary (meaning garland of roses), which makes for a lovely family prayer. Its recitation captures something of the spiritual atmosphere of the household at Nazareth, “because its members place Jesus at the centre, they share his joys and sorrows, they place their needs and their plans in his hands, they draw from him the hope and the strength to go on” (Rosarium Virginis Mariae 41). However, to get you started (if the family doesn’t gets together in prayer) we suggest you keep it simple. Having each person thank God for the blessings he has showered upon them during the day and then thanking him for each family member in turn is a good way to help everyone understand the value of each other, even as it affirms all those we live with. Once everybody is accustomed to this time of prayer, other elements like singing, reflection and Bible sharing can be gradually introduced.
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3. Group Prayer The Church was born in group prayer. As the apostles prayed together with Mary and their friends in the upper room of the house in which they lived “Acts 2:2 suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.“ In response to Peter’s ensuing sermon, 3000 people became believers. “ Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” As the Church grew, people continued to gather together for a period of informal and spontaneous prayer, and from all accounts these gatherings proved to be powerful instruments of growth, not only for the individual, but also for the great body of Christ, known as the Church. Although such meetings eventually gave way to larger, more formal gatherings, prayer meetings once again became popular in the 1960s and have, since, regained much of their popularity. We are all part of the body of Christ, each one linked to the other and interdependent, and prayer meetings provide a way of learning to live with, work with, and love one another in order to strengthen this body. Consequently, it a vital element of growth and praying in a good prayer group at least once a week can help us tremendously on our spiritual journey. A “good” prayer group is one in which the emphasis is not merely on lively “praise and worship” but in fellowship and growth and in good, wholesome and solid teaching. As of now praying in the School covers this need, but after it is over, you should think of becoming part of one.
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A Few Tips •
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Visit at least a couple of groups before you decide on which one you want to join. Ensure the teachings are in line with the Magisterium. Once you are happy with a group, commit yourself to it. Don’t let minor misunderstandings or conflicts disturb you; learning to deal with such things in a loving way is essential for growth. Don’t be content just receiving; give too. God has blessed all of us with gifts to build up the body of Christ. Help your group to grow.
4. Community Prayer When we gather to celebrate Sunday liturgy, we are part of a tradition that is nearly 2000 years old. Liturgy is the participation of the people of God in the work of God. Through the liturgy Christ, our Redeemer and High Priest, continues the work of our redemption in, with, and through the Church (CCC 1069). The Eucharist, Vatican II tells us, is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Lumen Gentium 11; CCC 1324). Since the Christian life is essentially a spiritual life, we might say as well that the Eucharist is the “source and summit of Christian spirituality” too. There is something else that is wonderful about participating in the liturgy. It gives us the opportunity to worship together in Spirit with Catholics the world over, and this is an opportunity we have no matter which part of the world we go to. We share in the same unity of worship which strengthens the body of Christ. Many Catholics who have gone to Mass all their lives still do not understand it. Part of the problem is that by the time people are old enough to appreciate and understand the sacred words and actions, it has become mere repetition and routine. Hence, we have all heard, and probably used the infamous phrase “Mass is boring!” and people stop going because “they do not
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get anything out of it.” People complain about seeing the same priest at the same altar reciting the same old prayers. It is a lack of understanding that induces boredom. So what do we do? How are we to find meaning in the Mass? By gaining this understanding! Spend a little time this week reading the article “Reflections on the Celebration of the Mass” by Fr. Barry O’Sullivan on Holy Spirit Interactive to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Mass (http://www.holyspiritinteractive.org/library/598), and watching a wonderful teaching by Bishop Fulton Sheen on The Meaning of the Mass that can be found on YouTube.
DID YOU KNOW? •
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The Mass, as we most often call it, is really short for, “the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass”. Think about this for a moment because the words contain quite nearly everything that we need to know to understand why we go to Church (or why we ought to!). Many people refer to the Mass as “the Eucharist,” but such a use is incorrect. The (Liturgy of the) Eucharist is one of two parts of the Mass, the other being the Liturgy of the Word. The term Eucharist, which means “thankgsiving”, is used in three ways: first, to refer to the Real Presence of Christ; second, to refer to Christ’s continuing action as High Priest (think: The Last Supper); and third, to refer to the Sacrament of Holy Communion itself. The Mass has gone by many names over the centuries: the Breaking of the Bread, the Eucharist, the Divine Liturgy, the Unbloody Sacrifice, the Mystical Supper of the Lamb, and many more. The priest who celebrates the Mass stands “in persona Christi”, which is Latin for “in the person of Christ”. This does not mean he represents Christ, or performs actions that are Christ-like, but in a certain metaphysical sense, is Jesus. The Mass will take on added meaning if we can understand this fully.
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»»DISCUSSION QUESTIONS »» “Everyone of us needs half an hour of prayer each day,” remarked St. Francis de Sales, “except when we are busy—then we need an hour.” How much time do we currently spend in personal prayer? How is it possible to spend at least an hour a day in prayer using the steps described? »» Examine each step detailed in the section on personal prayer: Praise, Spiritual Warfare, Thanksgiving, Repentance, Forgiveness, Surrender, Infilling, Worship, Intercession, The Word of God, Silence. Why is each element important? »» Do those of us who have families pray with them? If no, what are the reasons for not praying with them? If yes, how do we pray and how long do we pray for? What are the ways in which we can improve our family prayer lives? »» Do I belong to a prayer group, Bible study group, etc.? What is it that I like/dislike in prayer groups? Why do I think it is important or not important to belong to one? »» If anybody goes to a baseball game and doesn’t know the rules of the game, there is a good chance that they would be bored by it. How does this relate to how we view the Mass? »» How can the Mass become an event in our lives that is both relevant and exciting, making it something that we look forward to?
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